Grant History

The Community Foundation staff dedicates most of each week engaging with donors, nonprofit leaders, and residents of Tompkins County to identify assets, challenges, and ways to improve the quality of life for all in our beloved community. Gifts of all sizes to the Tompkins Today & Tomorrow Fund are improving lives through grants. Make a difference right here at home.

Family Reading Partnership

Awarded Grants

Now in our 26th year with over $37 million in over 8,200 grants, the Community Foundation is the leading public grant maker in Tompkins County. Grants from the Foundation’s endowment and other charitable resources are donated by generous people addressing emerging concerns and critical, unresolved problems identified by the community.

In 2025 we granted out more than $4.2M to over 300 different organizations thanks to generous donors.

Every grant represents the current philanthropic goals and interests of our donors, as well as the priorities and strategies of the Community Foundation Board of Directors.  We gain information from nonprofit leaders and residents who live or work here. Also we hold bi-weekly meetings with the Tompkins County Funders group (local public and private grant makers). Our grants are informed by many communication methods.

The Community Foundation serves as a repository for permanent gifts, no matter how great or small, from all who have lived or worked in — and care about — Tompkins County.

2025 Grants by Program Area

2024 Grants by Program Area

2023 Grants by Program Area

2022 Grants by Program Area

2021 Grantees and Programs

COVID-19 Response Fund Grantees

2020 Grantees & Programs

2019 Grantees & Programs

2019 Grantees Map by Program Areas

Grants in Review

January 1-March 31, 2026 – Current Year (updated quarterly*)

2026 Grants by Program Areas 1Q26 <CLICK HERE (next report in April 2026)

Community Foundation Grants % Of $ $ Area Amount # Of Grants % Of # Of Grants
Arts & Culture % %
Community Building %  $ %
Education % $ %
Environment/Sustainability % $ %
Health & Human Services % $ %
Total (All Areas) $
 *next report scheduled for APR 2026

2025 – Most Recently Completed Fiscal Year

2025 Grants & Programs thru 4Q25 <CLICK HERE

Community Foundation Grants % Of $ $ Area Amount # Of Grants % Of # Of Grants
Arts & Culture 11% $446,419 134 20%
Community Building 66% $2,730,219 229 33%
Education 5% $223,959 85 12%
Environment/Sustainability 3% $121,035 40 6%
Health & Human Services 15% $737,512 199 29%
Total (All Areas) $4,219,144 687

2000-2025 — From Inception through Most Recently Completed Fiscal Year

Community Foundation Grants % Of $ $ Area Amount # Of Grants % Of # Of Grants
Arts & Culture 17% $6,400,496 1,870 23%
Community Building 34% $12,709,486 2,089 25%
Education 11% $3,876,680 956 11%
Environment/Sustainability 6% $2,266,495 472 6%
Health & Human Services 32% $11,916,367 2,861 35%
Total (All Areas) $37,169,524 8,248
quote Community Foundation Donor Advisor

I had all the tax benefit. I could handle my own, but I wanted to keep it local.